NEW YORK — Shares of Burger King Holdings climbed Wednesday morning after a published report said the fast food chain was discussing a possible sale of the company with private-equity firms.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources it did not name, said talks have taken place over recent weeks. But the status of any talks remains unclear.

The newspaper cited one of the interested firms as British private-equity firm 3i Group.

Burger King is the second-largest hamburger chain after McDonald's Corp.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco Wholesale said today that revenue at stores open at least a year increased 7 percent in August, buoyed by higher gas prices and improved international revenue.This topped the 4.2 percent rise that analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected. But fourth-quarter and full-year revenue missed Wall Street expectations.Costco, based in Issaquah, Wash., had 572 warehouses, including 416 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It plans to open 10 more warehouses during the first four months of fiscal 2011.

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — American Samoa will make it illegal for stores to hand out plastic bags once a new law takes effect early next year.Gov. Togiola Tulafono signed the ban into law last week. He says the measure is a step in the right direction toward protecting the natural beauty of American Samoa and its native land and sea creatures.Advocates of the law say plastic bags litter the landscape, fill streams and pollute the ocean.The law takes effect Feb. 23. It exempts shopping bags produced entirely from non-petroleum-based biodegradable plastic and compostable plastic bags.